Technical Field
The following disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus including a supplier configured to supply a developer from a developer storage to a developing device and also relates to a method of controlling the image forming apparatus.
Description of Related Art
There has been known an image forming apparatus including: a developing device having a developing roller; a supplier configured to add or supply new or fresh toner into the developing device as needed; and an optical sensor configured to detect an amount of the toner in the developing device. In the known apparatus, the toner is supplied in accordance with an amount of consumption of the toner so as to keep the amount of the toner in the developing device constant.
The amount of consumption of the toner is calculated based on a dot count, and the supply amount of the toner is set to an amount estimated so as to be smaller than the calculated amount of consumption of the toner. In this configuration, the amount of the toner in the developing device tends to gradually decrease in accordance with consumption of the toner. Thus, in the case where the amount of the toner in the developing device detected by the optical sensor is greater than a predetermined value, the toner is supplied in an amount in accordance with the consumption amount. In the case where the detected amount of the toner in the developing device is less than the predetermined value, a predetermined amount of the toner is supplied into a developing chamber.